Fingering on the piano is an art, not a science. There isn't one good fingering for each musical passage, or for every player! That is why well edited editions have different fingering choices from one another.

The music of Bach and other counterpoint is particularly challenging in regards to fingering. I suggest getting a couple of editions and experimenting.

Generally, you want to find hand positions which can accommodate the largest number of keys you can get over comfortably before having to shift the hand position with finger or thumb crossings. However, in complex counterpoint there are many exceptions to the rules in order to play multiple legato lines.

Ultimately, you must work until you discover a fingering that accommodates the execution of the music consistently. Always practice fingering selection without the pedal so you can hear what your fingers are doing.

Robert, thank you for your useful insights. Have a question on another topic. Have downloaded two of your favorite technique exercises, Czerny's Practical Method for Beginners and Hanon's 60 Exercises for the Virtuoso Pianist. In the past I have done some of these exercises but somewhat haphazardly. What suggestions do you offer for the most effective use of these exercises (like how many times a week, for how long, in what order?), and also any ideas you may have to keep them from becoming boring. And can you demonstrate in some future video one or two of the exercises you consider most important and/or practical and/or challenging? Thanks for your consideration. Humberto Cruz VSM member

Generally, I believe that the piano repertoire is so vast that it is usually unnecessary to spend a great deal of time on exercises that are not great compositions since there are so many phenomenal etudes that are also great pieces of music like Chopin, Liszt and Moskovsky. Student level etudes of Heller and others also offer fine music that explores technical challenges.

In the case of Hanon, the 1st 10 exercises are useful in developing strength in preparation for working on scales and arpeggios. It's important to work every day for some time, perhaps 10 minutes on scales and arpeggios. First, learning all major and minor scales and arpeggios working with the metronome at 1, 2 and 4 notes to the beat at 60 beats per minute. When that is mastered, the speed can be increased over time. Eventually scales can be practiced in contrary motion as well as in 3rds, 6ths and 10ths.

Thanks for your quick reply, your thoughts pretty much mirror mine -- I'd much rather get my technical practice with a Chopin etude. I also have been pretty faithful on practicing scales and arpeggios over several octaves daily, can attest to its importance. Thanks again..

Thank you for your suggestions. It striked a chord when you said to "get away from the music for awhile". It is just what I am doing after practicing and practicing the same pieces for a long time, and it started to get boring!

Yes, indeed, Master Robert, this is kind of a mistery to me: let that hard score aside for a couple days, forget its existence and when you get back to it , miracle! : things seemed to have worked silently in your brain, you can play better, recurrent flaws don't show up anymore and...well, we just play better! Isn't that awesome?